[Riley]

I went to see 2 shuttle landings at Edwards AFB, the first Columbia and the first Challenger.

Wonder if we were in the same visitor's area? I rode down there with a friend from high school. We crashed out in his Plymouth Champ, got up in the morning and watched it come in.

Tremendous experience.

[RckyRaCoCo]

The first(Columbia)shuttle landing(April 14, 1981?)was crazy. Went there after work the night before the landing. People were everywhere...it was pitch black and I remember literally stepping on folks that were crashed out in their sleeping bags...took forever to get out of the place...but had a good time nonetheless.

Reagan days...pride/patriotism...

...sure have lost a lot since : (

At that time I worked for a couple different aerospace mfg. firms, got to go to the Downey(?)facility where they had the mock-up shuttle, exhibits, etc. Remember receiving a letter from one of those firms I worked for, apparently one of our divisions manufactured the o-rings for the SRB.